DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Rob,

Here are a couple of pictures- I have started covering. Bottom of wings and fuse is white with the blue and orange. Top of wings and rest of fuse is pearl white with the blue and orange plus silver trim. I should have some more to show in the next few days.

Wayne,

If you are reading this I'm going to finish the wings and then do a trial balance before I cover the fuse. I'll let you know what I find.


Dave

wgeffon

My Feedback: (4)

Dave,
Thanks.

I love the scheme your putting on that plane!


I picked mine up from Dave today.
Looks naked with no graphics but here it is as of now.

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks, Wayne.

Some more progress on the covering. Wings are almost done- just need to do the ailerons. Horizontal stabs done. I'll be moving on to the fuse in the next day or two.

I had some concerns about the pearl white being darker than I wanted but when the sun shines (it was overcast during the pics) it looks really nice. Very windy today- the tail was sitting on a box and blew off cracking my stab a bit- doohh! Easy fix. Almost worse, I went inside to get the camera and one of the wings was lifting and it was on one wheel only! Could have been ugly....

Dave

RobT

My Feedback: (17)

It looks really nice.

What is your method for mounting the canopy...I have been avoiding that, but I think I will have to face it tonight ...

Thanks,

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Yea, I put that off too. It takes a bunch of work but it is the best looking canopy area going once it's done.

Here's what I did and it's not much different than what the others have done. I chose to glass my hatch like Albert did and I am going to be painting it. I trimmed it out to match up with the hatch and I used a dremel router attachment to cut away (recess) the balsa railing at the side of the hatch so that the plastic canopy - the part that becomes a piece of the fuse as opposed to the scale canopy area- would blend in to the fuse sides.

I installed a piece of balsa up front to glue the plastic to, again recessing it so that the transition from the balsa covered foam part of the hatch would transition as seemlessly as possible with the plastic. Lastly, I recessed the rear portion of the hatch.

After installing it I used some glazing putting to fill in the transition area and sanded, filled, sanded, etc. till it was smooth. I glassed like Albert did- with .75 oz fiberglass and finishing resin- two layers across the seam and one over the whole thing. Back over with more epoxy, sand, repeat as necessary, sanding and filling as needed.

I kind of outsmarted myself a bit on the sides. I didn't recess all the way to the bottom of the hatch- trying to increase my likelyhood of a smooth transition- but then I had to lay a small strip of glass on the sides too. Again, sand and fill and so forth til it was right.

I cut out most of the decking on the hatch- but not all of it like Albert. On the little foam piece that makes up the rear seat instrument panel, I simply glassed it with .75oz - one simple light coat- and then sprayed it like the rest of the hatch- thin primer coat followed by thin flek stone coat.

As they say, pictures are worth 1000 words so have a look at these.

Dave

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Here's some with the cockpit painted.

I made my own control panel- bought some very light instruments that my local hobby shop had and mounted them on some scale "diamond plate" plastic that you can get from train shops. Painted the diamond plate silver, printed out this years sequence, mounted it behind plastic and viola- a very light instrument panel!

Dave

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Pic of instrument panel.

By the way, in case you haven't already figured it out, I am making my pilot removable.

Dave

OnTheEdge

So you gonna redo it in 2008?

That panel looks really good Dave. I like the texture the diamond panel gives.

RobT

My Feedback: (17)

I should have been more specific... What I worry about is the actual gluing of the plastic piece to the hatch. In the past I have done it both on and off the fuse, There are advantages to both. But the point is to get everything to blend into the fuse without fluing the canopy to the fuse itself...

ALSO, Do you use goop or RC 56?

as722

My Feedback: (1)

Check this out. Walt made a jig to glue the canopy which looks to be the perfect way to glue the canopy.
http://www.****/forums/166946-post762.html

Albert

as722

My Feedback: (1)

The **** portion of the link I posted is suppose to be flying giants but it's a bad word here on rcu.

Albert

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

I used goop.

OnTheEdge

I'll use Goop for now on. Two years ago when I stepped over my Extra and kicked hole in the conopy[&o] I had to remove it to replace it. It was put on with goop and it was on there real good. You can stretch that suff several inches, but I was able to remove it without destroying the balsa canopy frame. I was very impressed and used it on the Yak. No more RC56 for me.

RobT

My Feedback: (17)

I hate to say this while it is drying, but the goop seemed MUCH better than the RC56. When you put a canopy on with RC56 it is so watery it just slides around... I will let you know how it came out... Thanks,

Rob

Bobt2

My Feedback: (4)

looking good dave. i think you need to come to l.i. for the test flight. that way we can help you fly it too!

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

More covering has gone on the plane. In fact, I am almost done covering. Hatch and cowl are mostly orange. Gear and pants will be white.

Dave

wgeffon

My Feedback: (4)

Awesome Dave.
I really like that scheme.

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks, Wayne. I am very happy with the way it is looking on the plane. I may have found my "signature scheme"!

Dave

wgeffon

My Feedback: (4)

I would say so.

rc4flying

My Feedback: (21)

Color sheme is looking good, Dave.

I like it.

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks, Joe. You get that new 260 in the air yet?

Dave

hoverVT

My Feedback: (14)

Dave have you got any more pics of the plane, it looks great!

rc4flying

My Feedback: (21)

I finally got the test flight in along with a few more and I am going to like it plently.
Came in at 35 lbs and it shows when it flies.
Now I have to wait for the snow and cold again. 75 degress yesterday and snow flurries thru Sun. Go Figure ????

Joe

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

Tony,

I am finishing up the prepping and priming of the fiberglass right now and hope to have them painted soon. I'll get some more pics once the painted parts are back on the plane. The engine and radio have already been mounted so it should be pretty quick after that.

Dave

RobT

My Feedback: (17)

Today was the maiden! I have flown the 40% Carden Extra 260, Extra 330,and Yak and the 35% of the edge and cap and I feel like the 300 beats them all. (I know that is a lot to say after only 3 flights...)


Right now I have 2% mix in rudder to elevator and 3% rudder to aileron. I am very happy with those numbers.

With the lightening, a cold day and a 2 blade airmodels prop I pulled an up line and did a double snap, followed by an opposite roll followed by an opposite snap and it didn't show any sign of slowing down. I heard a movie quote in my head "UNLIMITED POWER!" and I laughed out loud.

I will get a final weight soon.

Rollers felt very smooth and easy. Snaps were a pleasure.

CG right now is so the plane drops it's nose slightly when inverted.

I still have a lot more trimming to do but I had a big smile on my face at the end of the day.

I still need to order graphics but here she is: